Becoming Us
by Mia Auter
Summary: Ron and Hermione return to Hogwarts after the Second Wizarding War. Both think they are well on their way to a happy relationship when a new girl from Glenalmond School threatens their burgeoning relationship. Multi-chaptered story now AU.
1. Chapter One Return to Hogwarts

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! As always there is a bit of information that you need to know in order to pick right up with this story. It takes place in the months following the Battle of Hogwarts. Ron and Hermione have decided to return to the school to finish their final year, however Harry and Ginny have not. Ron and Hermione are the Heads and McGonagall is Headmistress. That should be it for now, but if I think of something else I will make sure to add it in later. This is NOT a one-shot; it is multi-chapter with maybe even ten chapters. So stick around it should be good. Once again, I do not own any of these characters, and they are all the property of J.K. Rowling. Enjoy!**

The best word to describe the Burrow after the Second War was mature. Gone were the gaggles of young children playing around their mother's feet, and the young and energetic parents of seven children. Now all that was let were the two youngest, now in their late teens, and their parents in what seemed to be a ramshackle house in the countryside. Anyone who was familiar with the Weasley knew that one of their sons died in the Battle of Hogwarts, the final battle of the war. They also knew that the youngest son, Ron was a war hero and best mate to the famous Harry Potter. The Weasley family practically won that war for the Wizarding world and in the after math their house seemed to be content to sink into the ground and relax after several years of stress on its foundation.

Within the house Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley sat in the kitchen sipping tea and examining the Daily Prophet. Just as Ron was about to ask Hermione if she wanted to play chess for a bit two large owls swooped into the room through an open window, landing perfectly on the wooden table. Hermione gave a brief shriek, the birds catching her off guard, before she set about freeing them from the objects attached to their legs.

"Who are they for?" Ron asked not knowing whom the birds belonged to. Hermione didn't answer, just handed him a letter with green ink on the front. Of course, how could he have forgotten? These were Hogwart's letters, the telltale ink and neat handwriting on the front was all Ron needed to see before he began to gingerly open the letter. This was his last Hogwart's letter after all and if he didn't save his first one, then he was for damn sure going to save his last one. Actually, returning to Hogwart's had been Hermione's idea and unlike Harry, Ron had been unable to say no to her puppy dogface and pleading eyes. So he'd gone and signed himself up for a final year of school, just to have the distinction of being a Hogwart's graduate. His thoughts were interrupted by another scream from Hermione. His head snapped up and saw her prancing around the kitchen holding the Head's Badge. She'd done it; she'd been made Head Girl. She stopped looked at him expectantly, and it was only then that he realized he hadn't opened his letter completely. Out of the envelope tumbles a matching badge with the letters HB on it instead of HG. Two Heads from Gryffindor. They were going to be Heads together! He jumped up and gave Hermione a huge hug. Ron thought that it was probably the happiest he'd been since the end of the war. He thought back to the image he saw in the Mirror of Erised and decided that even if he couldn't be Quidditch captain he could do a ton of really cool stuff as Head Boy, just the same.

But though neither of them would dare say this out loud the part of being Head that they found most appealing was the shared room in one of the towers. They'd have one giant suite all to themselves, with a common room made to look like a smaller Gryffindor common room. The feelings that they harbored for each other weren't exactly a secret, but many parts of their relationship had yet to be resolved. Both saw being made Heads a perfect opportunity to get some alone time, even at Hogwart's, and finally get on the road to eternal bliss that so many had predicted for them.

* * *

The rest of the summer flew by in a blur of night spend talking in the grass, quiet mornings in the kitchen and school shopping before. Before either r was really prepared it was September first and the chaos that usually surrounded the day was gone. Only Ron and Hermione would be returning to go to school so when they strolled out of the house early the morning to drive to King's Cross Station it was a quiet procession. The morning went off without a hitch. In the Head's Car Ron swiveled in the captain's chair and watched Hermione read out of the corner of his eye.

"Ron would you stop looking at me, its starting to creep me out." Hermione said irritably, never turning her attention away from her book.

"Who says I'm watching you. Don't get a fat head, it's very unbecoming." Ron retorted trying to cover his embarrassment over being caught with a rude remark.

"I know you are watching me and I am just asking you to cease and desist so I can get back to reading my book and we can both go on with our lives." Ron, deciding to be annoying, leaned in and watched her more intensely.

"Fine," Hermione said, slamming her book shut without the benefit of a bookmark, " if you are going to be annoying then I am just going to be annoying right back. What are you most excited about for this year?"

"What? How is that annoying?" Ron asked

Hermione rolled her eyes, exasperated, "Well I am really excited to a Head this year. I like the idea of separate living spaces. I would hate to have to live with the seventh years now. All the Colin Creevy's of the world." both stopped dead, Ron wouldn't have to worry about Collin because he'd been one of the causalities of the war. Collin Creevy, the same Creevy who'd practically taken stalking Harry to an art form, was dead.

'Oh I see. So it's a space thing. You like your space."

"Yep, that about sums it up, and for the record that was really not boring or annoying, nice try though." Ron flashed her a smile that made her stomach do flips.

"Ron, what are you going to do when you get married and have kids? You won't be able to have your own room, and be a recluse." Hermione said smartly. She almost immediately wished she could take the words back, fearing she'd danced a little too close to the line in bringing up marriage and a family. Hermione was sure after her kiss with Ron during the Final Battle that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. But the summer had passed without incident and it seemed as though she and Ron had returned to the place they'd be in before sixth year. She knew that somewhere deep down Ron had feelings for her, but Hermione wasn't too keen on waiting around for another eternity for him to own up to them and act on them.

"I don't exactly have to think about marriage and kids right now, do I?" Ron replied, rolling his eyes to indicate how ridiculous he found it that Hermione would use that argument to admonish him.

"Well no," Hermione started slowly daring herself to push him to say how much he wanted a life with her, "but one should always have that in the back of their head, no?" She asked innocently enough.

Ron chuckled, "How about this? When I find someone that I want to marry I'll start thinking about it, yeah." He sat back in the chair and began looking out of the window. Tears were forming in Hermione's eyes, his words echoing in her head. She wasn't sure what she'd expected to hear from him but the shocking realization that he didn't even think about maybe, possibly, someday a long time from now, marrying her brought reality crashing down around her. She stood to flee the car and was just about the make a clean escape when she crashed into Ernie McMillan who'd been standing on the other side of the door waiting to knock when Hermione tried to escape the Heads Car. They collided with an "ooof" and Hermione toppled backwards into her recently vacated seat.

"Oi! Sorry, Hermy." Ernie said. He helped Hermione to her feet again before calling to Ron. "Ron, you and Hermione are needed in Professor Binns's car at the end of the corridor. He says it's urgent." Ron stood from his chair, and threw Hermione a concerned glance upon seeing the tears in her eyes, but chalked it up to running into Ernie. They exited the car and made their way, slowly and awkwardly silent to the Professor's car.

Ron opens the door to Professor Binn's car, which has been magically transfigured into an office. Sitting in one of the chairs across from his desk is a beautiful girl with large brown eyes and wavy brown hair. When the Professor sees them enter he stands and introduces the newcomers to the girl.

"Ah yes, Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger, glad you come. This, as I am sure you are wondering, is Heather Davis. She is a transfer from..." He looked to the girl, now identified as Heather Davis, to complete his sentence.

She obliged, "Glenalmond. It's in Perth. Its a "moogle" school I'm not sure you've heard of it." Her answer was polite, her voice lyrical and sweet. Hermione laughed a bit, Heather had obviously meant to say muggle, 'poor girl' she thought ruefully. She looked to Ron so they could silently share in the joke of Heather calling muggles "moogles" but found that her counterpart was staring wide eyed and smiling at the girl.

"Ah that's right, a MUGGLE school." He put the emphasis on muggle as a way of correcting her but it went unnoticed. "I would very much like it for Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger to show you around the train, get you settled and acquainted with Hogwart's and its traditions." Ron and Hermione nodded to show they understood the task before exiting with Heather in tow. Hermione was the first to speak once they were in the corridor again.

"So heather, you went to Glenalmond. You know I might have gone there if I hadn't come to Hogwarts a year before I was eligible. That's a very good school, but I am curious why are you making the transition from muggle to Wizarding School now." Hermione asked the question in a tone that bordered on challenging.

"As far as I've been told the owl that was supposed to deliver my letter almost eight years ago was captured by Volmore's, am I saying that right, Volmore?" She stopped and looked to Hermione.

"No you aren't, but go on." Hermione responded, annoyed. Who did this girl think she was? Coming to Hogwarts all out of the blue, pronouncing common words wrong. For all they knew she could be a Death Eater in disguise coming to seek his unholy revenge on the whole lot of them and not only were they accepting this girl, but encouraging her to assimilate to Hogwart's life. The nerve!

"Well Vol-whatever his name is cronies kidnapped the bird so they could communicate with a professor at Hogwarts without raising suspicion. The bird wasn't released until quite recently and then it carried out its original mission of delivering the letter. It was a bit of a shock actually," she paused to laugh. "I mean can you imagine me, just sitting in my parent's library reading and all of a sudden a huge barn owl comes swooping in and drops off a letter that looks like its been to hell and back?" Ron laughed along heartily, and anger burned inside Hermione. This girl was too charming to be true.

"What house will you be in? Have they told you yet?" Ron asked, genuinely interested.

"Gryffindor. Does that sound right?" Oh bloody hell was Hermione's only thought. Beautiful, charming, and brave too. Just what she needed. As it wasn't bad enough that she and Ron weren't getting anywhere now this girl was being added to the equation. Just peachy.

"Oh that's fantastic. We're in that house too. Isn't that great, Hermione?" Ron asked turning to Hermione who'd been watching the two interact for sometime. She did not respond with the enthusiasm Ron was expecting and simply shut her out of the conversation for the rest of the train ride.

* * *

When the feast was over, all the first years had been sorted, McGonagall had given the beginning of term speech, and all the kids were ushered to bed, Hermione sat in the common room of the Heads Suite staring at the fire. She slouched in the comfy chair and just deliberated. Her concentration wasn't broken until Ron plopped down on the cushion next to her.

"Penny for your thoughts." He said, also staring at the fire.

"You really don't think about your life after Hogwarts?" she asked after a long while.

"What?" he said, thrown off guard by her question?

"Earlier, you said that you didn't have to think about marriage and kids, and that when you found someone worth marrying you'd start. You really haven't found anyone who you thought for even a moment that you might want to be with." She looked at him meaningfully, her eyes pleading with him to understand her point. He sighed.

"I put thinking about my future on hold the moment Harry said Voldemort was back. There is something about knowing you could die at any moment that makes you want to not hope for a future, and just to be happy with what you have." Ron stopped briefly to blink back tears. "And I know that there is a perfect girl for me. I know that for a fact. But I'm still too afraid even hope for a future with that girl, so I don't think about it." He stood up from his chair, bid her a goodnight, and then walked up the stairs to his room.

Hermione sat staring at the fire for a bit more then decided to follow suit. It'd been a long day and if she wanted to be ready for class in the morning she couldn't spend the rest of the night trying to understand what Ron was trying to say.

**Author's Note: Thanks so much for reading this far. Updates will be coming soon, and I hoped you enjoyed. If you did enjoy I would love for you to review. Well review if you loved it or hated it, I could always use some constructive criticism. Thanks again, Mia. **


	2. Chapter Two Hogsmeade Weekend Part One

**Author's Note: Thanks to all those who read and reviewed my last story. Here is the next installment. In this one Ron and Hermione's relationship takes a few step backs before a few steps forward. Sorry for the bad language in this one. There are a total of three expletives, but fear not this story has been upgraded to a T rating for that very reasons. Enjoy. **

Ron and Hermione were patrolling the corridors late one night in mid-October. Even though the castle as a whole was still relatively warm for the time of year, the Dungeons were another story all together. They were drafty and cold even in the summertime and Hermione shivered in its dark depths as they made their way through the underground hallways.

"So, Hermione," Ron began in a loud voice, only to decrease his volume significantly when the sound echoed off the walls. "How've you been recently? I haven't seen you around lately."

"Oh Ron, don't be ridiculous. We have almost half of our classes together, share a suite, and have Head duty together. We see each other all the time. But to answer your question I've been fine."

"Well then it doesn't feel like I see you all the time. In class you're too focused on taking notes that we never talk, and if we aren't doing out patrols in silence then you are in the library studying your arse off. I just wanted to make sure you were ok." Hermione felt badly as soon as he finished. She'd been short with him because of her growing jealously towards his burgeoning friendship with Heather. They just seemed to be made for each other. They were both tall, athletic, of average intelligence, swore like sailors, and if her guess was correct, spent all of their free time together. It just wasn't fair that after being his friend for almost six years, going through a war with him, having her first real crush on him, that Ron would throw her to the wayside and move on to Heather. Of course, Hermione couldn't confirm that they spent all of their free time together because, Ron was right, she spent all of her spare time in the library. Hermione bitterly thought that Ron could take a page out of her book and begin studying for N.E.W.T.s because if he were still serious about being an Auror he would need incredible scores by any measure.

"I'm sorry you feel that way." She said quietly.

"You aren't mad at me or anything, right?" he said, thoughtfully, as if he were trying to think of something he might have done to make her angry.

"Oh no, of course not." Hermione felt she'd better elaborate because even though she'd been sincere, her tone held hints of sarcasm and sarcasm was basically Ron's second language. If he picked up on it he didn't notice, simply allowed her to continue. "I've just been really stressed with preparing for N.E.W.T.s and I feel like, since I don't know what I want to do after Hogwarts, that I have to do the best I possibly can on them to leave my options open." He only nodded, and Hermione suspected that he didn't completely understand but still wanted to be there for her. "Enough about me and my problems, how have you been?"

Ron smiled, "Good. It's been quiet. I'm not quite sure what to do with myself here without the threat of death looming. There are no potions to brew secretly, no secret dens to open in the castle. There is no adventure, it's a little anticlimactic." Ron glanced at her quickly to see how she was responded. She was smiling.

"Yeah that is true. I mean, the entire time we were at Hogwarts Voldemort was either back, on his way back, or there was some other crazy scenario to deal with. Some trouble to avoid. In retrospect it's incredible that we even made it out alive."

"Its a shame Harry didn't come back. We could be the Golden Trio and have one good year at Hogwarts together. One good last year before we all go our kind of separate ways."

"What do you mean "kind of separate ways"?" Hermione asked, looking at him quizzically.

"Well I mean, we are all going to do something different after Hogwarts. And we'll stay in touch and still be friends but we might not be as close as we were last year or any of the other years were we here. Will we?"

"I think we will. We've been through a lot together and nothing comes in the way of that kind of bond. Not work, not anything." Hermione was about to begin a long speech about how she would always be there for him when Ron clapped his large hand to his forehead.

"D'oh I promised Seamus I'd come visit him before I went to bed. I completely forgot that tonight was rounds. You wouldn't mind finishing up by yourself would you? Its just one more floor." Ron gave her the puppy dog eyes and it wasn't long before she gave in.

"Thanks, Hermione. You're the greatest!" Ron yelled over his shoulder in the deserted corridor.

* * *

Ron burst through the entrance to Gryffindor, panting. He was almost sure Seamus would have gone to bed by this time, but figured he'd come to check anyway. Luckily, the Irishman was sitting on the large couch playing solitaire when he entered the room.

"Oh that goodness. Seamus I am so sorry, I completely forgot that I agreed to come here." Ron said collapsing into a side chair.

"Don't worry 'bout it mate. I asked you here 'cause I wanted to know what was happening with you and Hermione. Not that I mean to be prying or nothing, but its been seven years mate and if you aren't going to make your move then I'm going to make mine." Seamus looked at Ron expectantly.

"I don't know what you mean." Ron said flatly. He didn't like the direction this conversation was taking and almost regretted sprinting there.

"Well if you aren't going to try to get with Hermione then I will. Simple as that. I mean its clear that Heather has taken a liking to you, and if you ask me its a bit of a crime to let Hermione walk around this school single if you aren't going to be there." Seamus seemed to be getting nervous when Ron wasn't responding. Finally after several quiet moments, Ron spoke again.

"So what is your question again." Seamus sighed, exasperated.

"Are you with Hermione? Are you planning to be with Hermione in the very near future? And if the answers no, can I have her?" He sped through it, eyes bulging out with frustration. He'd obviously been waiting a long time to say his piece and was getting angry at how thick Ron was being.

"To answer your question. No, I'm not with Hermione. It depends on what you consider to be the very near future, and it's not my place to "give" you Hermione. In the end it her decision. If you think you've got a chance, go for it."

"Great so that's a big, fat, round about way of saying no. I can have her if I want her. Great, thanks mate." Seamus slumped back down into the couch and fingered the playing card in his hand.

"Why do you ask, anyway?" Ron said after a long while.

"Hogsmeade weekend is coming up and I don't want to go alone. Lavender didn't come back so for the time being I don't have a girlfriend. Figured I'd play the field for a little bit, sample all the fish in the sea and start thinking about settling down." Seamus replied with a shrugged. Ron threw his hands up in the air.

"What is everyone thinking about getting married? Sheesh, and here I was thinking it was just Hermione being batty. I mean if you, you Seamus Finnegan, are thinking about getting married then it must be the whole world. You are literally the last person I expect to see get married." Both friends laughed at Ron's feigned outrage

"Hey, a man's got needs, yeah? You know, I wasn't lying when I said it earlier, Heather does fancy you. She can't stop talking about you when you aren't around. Its almost funny." Seamus said with a slight chuckle.

"Yeah well she can keep on fancying me, I don't think we're going to get much past friends." Ron said, his face contorting into a grimace.

"She's not a bad looking lass. Smart too. I heard she rides brooms on the weekends just for fun." An evil smile crept across Seamus's face as he realized the double entendre he'd unintentionally made. As with any new girl who was halfway decent in the looks department rumors had flown around school in the early weeks. She was expelled from her old school after becoming pregnant, that she and Ron were having a secret affair. They ran the gamut from the completely ridiculous to the slightly believable ones. "We should double date sometime." Seamus added before yawning excusing himself from the room.

Ron sat in the Gryffindor common room for a while longer, bitter. What did Seamus think he was doing asking Hermione to Hogsmeade? She'd turn him down for sure, but to think he had the gall to even ask. Ron's conscience piped up, reminding the statuesque red head that only Harry had witnessed he and Hermione's kiss in the Chamber of Secrets. Only Harry knew how Ron really felt about Hermione, except for maybe Ginny and his family. If he didn't do something soon there would be a line of suitors at Hermione's door. But what was there to do? Ron thought dejectedly.

Hermione was perfect in every sense of the word. She was intelligent, caring, beautiful, loving, loyal, understanding, and tall. Best of all she was tall so unlike some of the girls he didn't have to bend down to kiss her. They were perfect together, but Ron was afraid she didn't think so. After all the summer had gone by and she didn't breathe a word about their kiss. She didn't even hint that she remembered it. There was no awkward period when she was avoiding him, just a kiss and then nothing. They'd gone all the way to Australia to get her parents back, returned and still nothing. There'd been plenty of times during the war when Ron thought maybe they'd be together when it was all over but it seemed as though their brief foray into going from "Ron and Hermione" to "us" had amounted to nothing but his crushed spirits.

Ron got angry thinking about all the time they'd wasted before the war, and the months following it with nothing happenings. To hell with her, he figured. Seamus was right; Heather was easy on the eyes and around. She clearly wanted him, and who was he to deny her. He was going to ask Heather to Hogsmeade this weekend, they would have a smashing time and by this time next week he'd be in a happy relationship. Matter settled.

"Hermione! Hermione!" The girl being called swiveled around the in the hallway to see Seamus jogging down the corridor. When he reached her he was out of breath and panting. "Hermione *pant* I wanted to *pant* know *pant*-" Seamus was cut off when McGonagall came swooping out of nowhere and requested to speak to the Head Girl in her office, immediately.

"I'm sorry Seamus can you ask me later, Professor needs me." He was still bent over, hands on his knees recovering from his sprint around the building in search of her. He only managed to raise a hand in agreement before she was off, striding down the hallway with incredible speed.

"Wothcer, Ron!" Heather said cheerily as he sat down to breakfast Friday morning.  
"Hey Heather" He said glumly pushing his oatmeal around the bowl.  
"I was wondering if maybe you wanted to go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend. Its almost November so they've got pumpkin spice tea, butter beer and all that good stuff. It'll be good to get out of the castle for a bit." She seemed to be trying really hard to sell it, so Ron agreed. "Great I'll meet you at nine in the entryway then, yeah?" He just nodded.

* * *

On Saturday morning Ron rolled out of bed at eight thirty, picked an outfit that barely matched, showered, and got ready for the day. It was his first official Hogsmeade date, but for some reason he wasn't feeling particularly victorious. He was going to show Hermione that he could be happy without her, but there was something wrong about the whole sordid affair. When he reached the bottom of the steps he found Hermione resting against the couch in the common room in a soft purple sweater that brought out her eyes and made her look absolutely fantastic.

"Nice sweater." Ron managed to get out. This comment was enough to make Hermione smile radiantly and Ron felt his insides churn. Dammit!

"Ready for Hogsmeade?" If his insides were churning before, now they'd come to a complete stop and were now jumping into his throat.

"Excuse me?" Ron asked, his voice cracking from nervousness. His eyebrows bunched and then flew up his forehead and under his hair. "Aren't you studying today?" Hermione let loose a laugh, that echoed off the stonewalls.

"I realized that I needed to schedule in some breaks and rests otherwise I'd drive myself crazy. So I am taking the weekend to relax. I figured we'd head into Hogsmeade spend the day at The Three Broomsticks, come back play some chess, you know, like old times." She was smiling that dazzling smile and Ron felt that if she asked him to jump off a bridge he would do it.

"Well actually," he saw her face fall, but decided he need to get his sentence out, "I have a date, kind of. I'm going to heather to Hogsmeade. I mean you are more than welcome to join, Merlin knows that I would love to hang out with you again." Ron was rubbing the back of his neck and looking at the ground. He felt terrible.

"Oh, well then I guess I'll just uhm..." Hermione tried to think of something she could do "I'll relax here, get some reading done or something and we can hang out when you get back."

"Yeah that sounds good, perfect actually. I've been meaning to unwind." Ron said, staring out of the window. Then it hit him, "Hold the phone! Aren't you supposed to be going to Hogsmeade with Seamus?" The perplexed looked which now graced her features let Ron know that she had no idea what he was talking about.

"Yeah Seamus asked me a few days ago if it was ok for him to ask you to Hogsmeade." Ron said, as it was all coming back to him with startling clarity.

"Why would he need you ok for that?" Hermione asked, narrowing her eyes at him, crossing her arms, and settling into her left him. Attack mode.

"Well 'cause I'm like your older brother, I've gotta look out for you. The same way I do for Ginny. Make sure a bloke's treating you right and all that jazz." Ron said in a panic to calm her down.

"My brother. You think you're like my brother! Great, that's just fantastic Ron. Well you needn't worry Seamus did not ask me to Hogsmeade so you can go on your date with Heather and not give a damn about me." Hermione hissed before storming up the steps. Ron sighed, and considered going after her but decided against it.

When he reached the main entrance he found Heather standing in a violet sweater, smiling up at him. His insides churned but this time instead of feeling giddy he felt sick to his stomach. What had he done? He gave a brave attempt at smiling but failed miserably. They walked to the village in silence and after order two butter beers and a cheese sandwich settled in a booth at the Three Broomsticks.

* * *

"Are you sure you are feeling ok, Ron?" Heather said pressing a freezing hand to his forehead. Ron winced and pulled away from her, assuring her that he was fine, just not very much in the mood to talk. They sat in silence for a good while, people coming over to talk to the pair of them every once in a while but Ron just sat there staring at his drink.

He thought back to just before Harry, Hermione, and he had gone off to find the Horcrux. He'd been sitting at a table with Aunt Muriel, alone, and glaring in the direction of Hermione and Victor. He always found a way to become sour when Victor was around, still blaming the great Bulgarian for getting in the way of his and Hermione's relationship. Bill had come over to drink some water before returning to the dance floor when he found his little brother brooding.

"Isn't brooding, typically Harry's thing? I mean, good for you for trying new things, but I won't hesitate to tell you that it doesn't look good on you." Bill had humor dancing in his eyes and Ron couldn't bother being mad with his brother. He deflated and sent a forlorn glance Hermione's way. Bill followed his eyes, understanding quickly. "Ah I see, this is about a girl."

"No, its not. Not _a_ girl, _the_ girl. The only girl." Ron said quietly.

"Shit or get off the pot man." Bill said

"What?" Ron looked up at Bill, confused.

"Shit or get off the pot. Do something or stop being mad when other people do. Words to live by, little brother, words to live by." He clapped his brother on the shoulder and then walked across the dance floor to his beautiful bride. Ron returned to reality, and stood up suddenly. After an entire day of lethargic behavior it was bit of a shock to Heather, and now Dean Thomas had joined their group, to see Ron stand up and throw money on the table to cover his food.

"Ron, where are you going?" Heather asked, alarmed.

Ron just looked at her and smiled, "To shit."


	3. Chapter Two Hogsmeade Weekend Part Two

**Author's Note: Hey, here is the third chapter. Don't worry though things are just heating up. As a side note this used to be part of chapter two but I had to break it up to make it easier to read. I hope you like it even though it is a little bit shorter than I usually write them. This should kind of be the turning point in the story. Enjoy.**

_"Why would he need you ok for that?" Hermione asked, narrowing her eyes at him, crossing her arms, and settling into her left him. Attack mode._

_"Well 'cause I'm like your older brother, I've gotta look out for you. The same way I do for Ginny. Make sure a bloke's treating you right and all that jazz." Ron said in a panic to calm her down._

_"My brother. You think you're like my brother! Great, that's just fantastic Ron. Well you needn't worry Seamus did not ask me to Hogsmeade so you can go on your date with Heather and not give a damn about me." Hermione hissed before storming up the steps._

Hot, fat, wet tears were streaming down her face as she climbed the stone steps to her room. She flung the heavy oak door open and ran to her bed, finding comfort in its plush burgundy sheets, and fluffy pillows. She had three weekends set aside all year. Three weekends in ten month and that git had the nerve to get a date! A date with Heather no, less!

"Bugger!" she yelled it at the top of her lungs and it felt good to yell, so she did it again, and again. She was angry, angrier than she'd been at Ron in a long time. All year she'd been convincing herself that Ron was just finding Heather's company because she wasn't around, that Ron's heart still really belonged to her. Well that proved to be false, and she felt her heart breaking all over again. This was just like deja vu. Sixth year back with a vengeance. Next week she would come into the common room to find Heather and Ron trying to suck each other's faces clean off and she'd spend another five months angry, and crying and hurt, and if she knew anything its that that wasn't going to happen again.

Once and for all Hermione Granger was going to move on from Ron Weasley. It wasn't like there weren't plenty of guys at Hogwarts, why should she have spent the last five years waiting for him to wake up and smell the coffee? She wasn't bad looking, all she'd have to do was find a Ravenclaw who was interested in her enough to take her on a date and show Ron she'd be fine without him.

She pulled out a piece of parchment, and a quill and went into the common room to make a list of potential candidates by the fireside.

* * *

"Her-my-oh-nee." She saw a seventeen-year-old Ron call her name out in her sleep. Her head snapped up to see Lavender's face. Oh victory was so sweet. Hermione reached for his hand and was surprised to feel the warmth there. Even in a coma he was thinking about her and that was all that mattered. She looked to Harry who was smiling knowingly at her, and she gave him a sheepish look.

"Hermione." she looked up at Harry.

"Yeah?"

"Hermione!"

"What do you want, I'm right here."

"Hermione! Hermy, 'Mione, Girl of -" Hermione's eyes snapped open to see Ron's face dangerously close to hers, his arms gripping her shoulders and shaking her roughly.

"Oh my gosh, Ron, what? What is it?" In her shock Hermione temporarily forgot her anger with him. She adjusted her sweater and wiped her face to make sure it was free of drool.

"Good you're awake, I wanted to talk to you about-" His smile faltered when Hermione cut across his sentence sharply.

"You wanted to talk to me. Well what a wonderful time to do that. I mean I was only sleeping for the first time in what feels like months. So tell me Ronald what is it that you could possibly have to say to me that is so urgent you felt the need to interrupt one of the most pleasant naps I've ever hand. What?" She was glaring at him again.

"I-I- I wanted to-t-to say that-" He was stuttering from fear, it'd been almost a year since he'd actually fought with an angry Hermione and it was a lot like being sixty and getting into a boxing rink with Muhammad Ali. There was no way to win so you should just suck it up and take your beating like a man.

"You wanted to say what, Ronald? Did you want to report back to me on your fantastic date with Heather Davis? Did you want to extol the virtues of having a girlfriend who is the complete package, smart, funny, pretty, around all the time?" Ron attempted to start, but was cut off again. Hermione was on a tirade.

"No, you don't speak. I'm going to say this. This is the second time you've done this. First with Lavender, now with Heather. I don't care what you do, but I don't want to hear about it? Got it? Good." Hermione was poking a finger into his chest by the end of her bit to punctuate her words. She stopped once more before sitting down at the table where she'd set up the chess pieces. Don't talk were her only instructions and the pair sat in silence in the common room for the rest of the evening.

* * *

Sometime around seven Ron let out a laugh that seemed to come from nowhere.

"What's so funny?" Hermione asked, afraid that he was laughing at her most recently move.

"This. This whole situation is just funny. You said that you planned on us going to Hogsmeade, coming back playing some chess, and relaxing just like old times." Hermione didn't see how that funny in the least

"Explain."

"Well its funny because this is just like old times. You yell, we argue, refuse to talk to the other and then out of nowhere it will be over, just like this. If you wanted old times then you've got it, sister." This should have been completely hysterical to Hermione, but there was that word again, sister.

"I am NOT your sister, stop calling me that. I don't have red hair, and my name isn't Ginny. Stop calling me your sister." She was beside herself. Harry was like her brother, but Hermione's feelings towards Ron would be down right scandalous if he was her brother. After all this time, she figured that deep down Ron must have some romantic feelings for her, and refused to allow him to refer to her as his sister. That would just get the wrong image in his head, and he'd never move past it. She had to somehow get it out of his mind that they were like sister and brother because they weren't. They were like boyfriend and girlfriend and she wasn't going to be satisfied until he saw it that way.

"Well obvious you aren't Ginny," Ron said laughing a bit, "but calling someone 'sister' is just an expression. I hear my mum use it all the time with our neighbors." Hermione knew this was a lie the minute it left his mouth.

"Neighbors? Ron, since when do you have neighbors. The closest Wizarding family is the Lovegoods and if your mum is calling Xenophillius "sister" then you need to get her eyes checked out worse than your head needs to get checked out."

"Hermione, what in Merlin's beard has gotten into you? Since this morning you've been so on edge. I can't even speak without you bursting out and yelling at me. In case you weren't sure, I'm not going to fight with you anymore. I don't want to fight anymore. We've spent our entire relations-friendship, we've spent our entire friendship fighting and I'm sick of it. I'm tired and I just want someone that I can come to after class and talk without having to defend my position on everything. I know you are stressed and this can't be doing anything positive for your blood pressure. So take a chill pill, relax, enjoy the game and for gods sake see a doctor about getting the stick shoved up your arse permanently removed."

"Don't even pretend like you have any idea what I am going through Ron. Have you even started review for N.E.W.T.s?" She fixed Ron with a glare and he simply replied yes. "Doubtful, you've probably been spending all your time charming Heather and being a great big git." His eyes twitched viscously and he walked off into his room. When he returned he was carrying a stack of parchment.

"What are those?" Hermione said, feeling as though her argument were about to crumble down around her.

"Revisions." He dropped them off on the table and went to bed. She reached forward gingerly to touch the paper. She picked up the first one, and the second one, and after about five minutes of staring in shock she realized her mistake. On the table in front of her was close to 15 feet of revisions for various essays on magical subjects. "Oh bugger it all" was all that Hermione could get out. It wasn't often that she was wrong, but this about the farthest she'd taken a false accusation. She'd insulted his pride, accused of him of trying to get with Heather, and yelled at him until he was just sick of it. How often did Ron Weasley get sick of a chance to fight with her? Not often. The Ron she knew was quickly disappearing and she had to do something to stop it.

* * *

Somewhere around midnight she was still sitting in the common room looking over Ron's revisions. Make notes and comments on his work. She heard him pad into the common room and turned around sharply to look at him. He was standing in just his pajama pants that were a few centimeters short and nothing else. The broad expanse of his chest was visible, exposing a muscular chest with a dusting of ginger hair that started high and concentrated into a line that dipped below the waistline of his short. His eyes were red rimmed and it looked as though he'd been crying. He was standing at his full height of six feet four inches and he wiggled his toes as if to shake any of the uncertainty out of them.

"Just one more thing Hermione, before I go to bed." She nodded for him to continue, "The next time there is a Hogsmeade weekend, pluck up the courage and ask me before someone else does." That probably stung the most. He'd _wanted_ to go with her.


	4. Chapter Four One Door Two Girls

**Author's Note: Hey guys, here is the next installment of "Becoming Us". Ron and Hermione leave for Winter Holiday and have an interesting conversation in the car on the way home. More to follow I promise. Sorry if this doesn't end the way you were hoping, an explanation is on its way. Stick with me. **

Sometime after "The Hogsmeade Incident" and the time leading up to winter holidays Hermione received a long awaited letter from her closest female friend, Ginny Weasley.

Hey Hermikins,

Hello! I hope that all is well at Hogwarts and that you are enjoying your final year as a person enslaved by the education system. Just kidding, Hermione. You do whatever floats your boat.

Speaking of things that float your boat, how is ickle Ronniekins doing now that he's Head Boy? Oh that reminds me that I am officially inviting you to the Burrow for Christmas in case my prat of a bother hasn't.

But the real reason I am writing you this letter is to keep you updated on the on goings of the world beyond the walls. This probably won't make the headlines of the Daily Prophet, but Harry Potter has recently moved into the fashionable end of Wizarding London and his flat mate is none other than his long term girlfriend, Ginny Weasley! I know it's exciting, right? Well hopefully we'll get to talk more about it over winter hols.

Always, Ginny

The letter was short, sweet, and to the point. Hermione scribbled a response on the back thanking her for and accepting Ginny's invitation to the Burrow. This would be the perfect time to get things back on the right track with Ron. Even though they were speaking and functioning pretty civilly around each other there was a certain kind of sadness in Ron's eyes whenever she looked over at him. Hermione wanted desperately to sit him down one night when their homework was all done and just talk to him about their relationship, but a part of her knew that a method like that was far too direct. She was brave, but not when it came to matters of the heart.

Hermione heard Ron cursing up a storm on the other end of the door and waited patiently while he said the password and lumbered him and some other unknown object through the portrait hole. When Ron emerged out of the short, darkened tunnel he had a mound of snow on his head and the base of a small tree in his hand. Hermione looked intently at him, waiting to see what he would do.

"You know, you could give me a hand instead of ogling." He said angrily as he tried to hoist the small tree right side up in the corner of the room.

"I wasn't ogling." Hermione huffed as she rose from the windowsill and crossed the room in a few short strides. "What is this anyway?"

"It's a tree. I'm sure you've seen one of them before." Ron quipped and threw her a lopsided grin. Any smart retort that Hermione had waiting in the wings was quickly silence when her heart jumped into her throat.

"Why did you get a tree?" Hermione asked, choosing to focus on the base of the tree instead of Ron, for both of their sakes.

"Well I figured that having a Christmas tree would give this room a homey touch." Hermione just smiled. "I have decorations in a box but it's sitting out in the corridor because I couldn't carry both of them at once. As it turns out my strength does have its limits." They both chuckled at his joke.

"Oh that's great I haven't had a chance to decorate a tree in ages. I always come back home too late to decorate with my parents and your mum has the tree up the first day of December." Hermione sighed at the misfortune of not decorating a tree in almost eight years.

'Well the surprises do not end here. What's today, the fourteenth?" Hermione nodded after a quick glance at the calendar. "Well then in three days you and I are leaving Hogwarts for Winter Hols. I spoke with McGonagall a few weeks ago and convinced her that you and I both deserved a break worthy of the effort we've put in this year." Hermione lit up. An extra full week of Winter Hols, she could devote herself entirely to having fun for the first week and then resume her normal work schedule once the rest of the school was on break.

"We're leaving Sunday then?" she asked, fixing her eyes, which were aglow with happiness, on Ron's form as he warmed himself by the fire.

"Yep that's the plan. I've had the ministry order a car for us. We'll drive down, enjoy the scenery, get to your parents house with plenty of time before we have to go to the Burrow, pop over and visit harry and gin-"His sentence was cut off.

"You know about Harry and Ginny moving in together?" Hermione asked incredulous. "And you're just fine with that? I expected you to be through the roof with anger about it. I thought you were going to stomp around the burrow the whole time he was there threatening to punch the daylights out of him."

"Why on earth would I punch my best mate?" Ron asked, appalled that she would even entertain the idea.

"Because that's what you do!" Hermione said, as it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Well not anymore, I don't. So there." Ron's tone indicated that it was the end of the conversation. "Now go, pack we've got a busy next two days I won't delay my early exit from Hogwarts while you make last minute decisions on what shoes to wear."

Hermione seemed to accept this reasoning and dashed up the stairs to her room.

"Hermione! Hermione! For god's sake woman the car will be here any minute." Ron shouted up the stairs. He was pacing near the foot of the steps leading to the Head's Room and when he decided he couldn't take it anymore he tore up the stairs and through the door.

He'd never been in Hermione's room before and had always assumed that it looked exactly like his except backwards. He thought that the dresser and bed would trade spaces but he was completely wrong. Hermione's room looked as though it'd been magically enlarged and was somewhere close to the size of the Gryffindor common room. There were shelves upon shelves upon shelves of books, enough to make a small library. The bed was enormous; practically double the size of his bed. Hermione walked out of the bathroom while pulling a sweater over her head and gasped when she emerged from the top to find Ron gaping around at her room.

"Ronald!" He barely noticed her voice, but when she started beating her hands on his chest he was more aware. In a sudden motion he grasped both of her hands in his own large ones, looked deep into her eyes and said "How the hell did you get a room like this?"

Hermione could barely hear him over the sound of her own heart beating in her ears. She shook her head to return to the moment but still felt the heat creeping up her neck and into her cheeks. What a perfect time to blush. "I… uh… I.." she was at a loss for words, the proximity to his body was driving all rational thought out of her head and the best she could do was shrug and almost whisper, "Magic I guess." He seemed unsatisfied with that answer.

"No shit, magic. I'm asking what spells did you use, where did you find those spells. Would you do it for my room?" She laughed and agreed, provided he carries her bag to the car. They lumbered down the corridor towards the main entrance. McGonagall was waiting by the large wood doors with the man who was delivering their car, talking animatedly about god knows what.

"Oh Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Granger how good of you to make it. Now the car is waiting outside, Hermione if my memory serves you have a license s-"Ron piped up.

"Professor I have a license as well so I'll be doing the driving." McGonagall looked astounded, but seemed to accept Ron's statement.

"Very well then, Mr. Weasley the car is waiting outside and you can drive to London but the car must be back in Ministry hands by January 12 when school resumes. Are we clear?" She fixed her most intimidating look on Ron, who agreed immediately.

"Come along then Granger," Ron said throwing his arm over Hermione's shoulder. "We've got a world to see."

To Hermione it seemed as though they'd been driving forever, and as she stared at the countryside rolling past her window she felt the urge to finally ask Ron all the things she'd ever wanted to know about him.

"Say Hermione?" Ron's voice cut through her thoughts and she snapped to attention. "Can I ask you something?" It seemed as though Ron found whatever he was about to ask comically provocative. "After the war and all why did you come back? I mean you said you wanted to for jobs but that just doesn't make sense."

Hermione panicked. There was no other way to say it. She'd always hoped that Ron wouldn't dig deeper into her reasons behind returning to Hogwarts. It was a long complicated thought process but basically she wanted to come back to Hogwarts to get away from the awkwardness of being at home, her parents hadn't fully, or even partially, forgiven her for sending them away to Australia. She wanted to prove to herself that she could see Hogwarts all the way through, to prove that she really did belong in the Wizarding world and not in regular England with her parents. And she came back because she wanted this. She'd always wanted her and Ron's love story to revolve around the place that brought them together. This was where they met, where they became friends, where they survived a war together, where they first kissed… somewhere in the back of her head she knew Harry wouldn't come back if Dumbledore wasn't there and that Ginny was going wherever Harry was going. She thought that the best way to finally get to the place she'd always wanted to be with Ron was to come back to Hogwarts, just the two of them.

But all of that was a little too hard to say so Hermione quietly asked, "Why doesn't that make sense?"

"Well you are Hermione Granger, you helped take down Voldemort. Who wouldn't want you to work for them? And besides, I always figured that you'd go to work for yourself in some sort of aid work that helps house elves, kind of an extension of S.P.E.W." Hermione stopped; he'd said 'S.P.E.W.' instead of 'Spew', that alone was enough to bring her to tears.

"You said S.P.E.W." she said, astonished. Ron just shrugged as if it wasn't the end of the world, but even in the darkness Hermione could see a small twitch on the corners of his mouth, he was pleased. It was probably best not to press the topic. "But getting back, I came back to Hogwarts because I just couldn't leave it unfinished. I needed to know that I could do it. Why did you come back?"

Ron's eyes never left the road; he didn't hesitate, didn't give any indication that the words which were leaving his mouth were anything special, but said, "Because you asked me to." The pair sat in silence as the magnitude of his statement settled over them. Hermione was beginning to relax again when Ron spoke, "You know when I asked Heather why she decided to Hogwarts in the first place she gave me a really similar answer." Hermione had not known that and something deep down told her that she didn't want to hear the rest of what Ron was saying.

"Yeah I asked why, she would even bother coming. She won't be able to graduate because she's missed every other year, which means she probably won't be able to get a decent job in the Wizarding world so why bother? And she basically said that it was because she had to do it, she had to see what it would be like. It's a pretty incredible story when you think about it."

"Oh..."

"Yeah, for someone who wouldn't know up from down when it comes to magical stuff she's gotten around pretty well this year. I'm really proud of her. It's almost like she's super muggleborn, you know? Not only were both of her parents and entire family muggles but she spent all of her childhood through her teen years identifying with muggles only to be thrown into the magical world for one year. It's not everyone that can do that." There was a sense of admiration in Ron's voice that was unsettling to Hermione. She didn't speak, figuring that Ron probably wouldn't need her input on the topic anyway.

"And she takes to magical stuff so well too. You should see her on a broom. If ever I saw a person made to fly, it's Heather. She might even be better than Harry, it's a shame that he's not around. And she's really cool too. You know how some girls think fart joke are vulgar?" Hermione thought darkly that they were, "She doesn't! She's like a bloke's readymade perfect mate."

"Mate like… a friend mate…" Hermione asked, testing the water, clearly afraid that Ron was falling in love with the girl . This kind of ambivalence had always marked their relationship. They flip-flopped between clearly being made for each other and try to bite the other's head off. It never stopped. Four minutes ago he'd told her that he'd basically come back to Hogwarts to be with her and now he was jabbering on about Heather Davis. It just didn't make any sense.

"No, no, like a mate. Like Harry and I, or you and I are mates." There it was again. At least he wasn't referring to her as his sister anymore. Hermione wondered how this conversation turned south so quickly and was at a loss for explanation. It didn't make sense that he seemed to feel so strongly about her at one point, and then could go on about Heather like she was the best thing to ever happened to him.

"Oh. Well that's good. I'm glad you aren't by you are keeping yourself entertained while I'm in the library." Her comment had an edge to it, and she hoped Ron was picking up on it. "Ron, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"Say you and two girls were trapped in a room-"Hermione started, but Ron cut across.

"I like where this is going." Hermione rolled her eyes, but continued.

"And there is a fire raging in one corner of the room. Very near to the fire, but not in it is a door that only one of the girls can escape through. Only one can come through the door because the fire is approaching and there won't be any time for the whole lot of you.' Ron nodded for her to continue. "The one girl is Heather and I am the other girl, who do you save?"

Ron's eye went wide in the dark, and he coughed a couple of times from the shock of her question. "So just let me get this straight. Two people _have_ to stay in the room." Ron asked clarifying so he didn't make the wrong choice.

"Precisely, you have to save one girl. But you have to do it fast because the fire is drawing in on door."

"Huh. Good question. Can I apparate?" Hermione stopped, never considering the one option.

"No. Unless you can apparate without a wand, no." Hermione added the qualifier; know that Ron's wandless magic was not to be relied upon.

"Damn, well I reckon I would send Heather down through the door." Ron rubbed his chin contemplatively before nodding his approval of the answer. Hermione was at a loss for words again, but this time euphoria wasn't spreading around her body. The best answer she could give was "oh."

**Author's Note: Dun-dun-duhhh! Oh no, Ron's said the wrong thing again. But fear not, Ginny and Harry will be making an appearance at Christmas dinner in the next chapter and hopefully, finally, get these two on the straight and narrow. So review, praise or flame, I don't care. Thanks so much. **


	5. Chapter Five: Take A Chance On Me

**A/N: Hey guys, sorry about the long break. I got really busy, really quickly, and I wasn't able to sit down and write what I hope will be a very good chapter for this story. All right, so just to bring you guys back up to speed, Hermione and Ron are on their way to the Burrow for Christmas. They've just had an unfortunate conversation in which Ron admitted he would save Heather over Hermione, if given the chance. So I hope you like this chapter. And as always, I don't own anything.**

Harry Potter was sitting quietly at the kitchen table when his two best friends entered, shaking snow off their bodies. He smiled at the sight of them, pushed away from the table, and stood to embrace them. It'd been months since the last time he'd seen them and, aside from the few letters he'd gotten from Ron, he hadn't spoken to them in almost as long.

"Harry!" Hermione screamed and ran forth to embrace her best friend. Ron was still shedding layers and moving their luggage from the front doorway. The last few days with Hermione had been, well… awkward. That was the best way to put it, awkward. After the conversation in the car on their way to the Granger's home Hermione had been quiet. After dinner with her parents her father had asked him several uncomfortable questions about his "relationship with Hermione". He'd explained, with a grimace, that it was complicated and if anything happened that Mr. Granger would be the first one to be notified.

"Oi! Mate, can I get a hug or are you just going to stand there and stare off into space?" Harry's green eyes were twinkling behind his glasses, and his arms were held wide. Ron smirked and hugged his best friend, clapping him on the back several times. It wasn't until Ron pulled away that realized how much he'd missed Harry at Hogwarts.

"How've you been?" Harry asked, leading Ron back to the table and sitting in the comfortable wooden chairs.

"Alright, mate, alright. Could be better though. I went on a date a few weeks ago." Ron looked up to see Harry's eyebrows raised and a smirk playing on his face. Harry moved his eyes in Hermione's direction and then back to Ron.

"Oh, no. Not with Hermione. Actually its with this new Girl who was supposed to be in our year but the owl that was supposed to bring her the letter got intercepted so Voldemort could contact Quirrell." Harry frowned at his best friend, and then began to shake his head. Suddenly Harry stood up, motioned for Ron to stay put, and then exited the room. When he returned he was leading Ginny by the hand, and she had a look of utter disgust on her face. 'This is not good.' Ron thought as he connected eyes with his younger sister. She sat down next to Harry, across from Ron, and briefly Ron thought that if a stranger walked in, the scene would look like an interogation.

"Ron." Ginny began, "This is an intervention." Ron nearly laughed out loud, but restrained himself. "Ron, you need to stop being an idiot and ask Hermione out. Its not funny anymore."

"Pfft, that's only because you're losing money on it now." Harry said under his breath. Ginny shot him a death look for even mentioned the betting pool they had going on Ron and Hermione's relationship. It was true, though, Ginny bet that they would be dating by the end of sixth year. She turned out to be horribly mistaken.

"Hush, Harry. This isn't about me. This," she said, rounding on Ron again, "is about my prat of a brother who refuses to grow the hell up and a take a chance on something for once in his life." Ginny gave him another pointed look before rising from the table and exiting the room. "I'm going to find Hermione." Ginny yelled over her shoulder.'

* * *

Hermione was sitting in the window of the guest room at the Burrow. Well, actually, it was Charlie's room but it hadn't been in use for ages and Mrs. Weasley figured that it would be more comfortable if Hermione used this room instead of rooming with Ginny. Hermione hadn't protested despite not fully understanding Mrs. Weasley's motivations for moving her. A soft knock came at the door and Hermione closed her book lightly and called to the person on the other side of the door. Red hair poked around the door, and for a flitting second Hermione thought that Ron had come to see her, but it turned out to be Ginny.

"Hey, Hermione." Ginny said softly.

"Hey, Gin. What's up? I feel like I haven't talked with you in forever." Hermione said, half apologizing.

"Well that's because you haven't." Ginny said with a small smile. "Listen, Hermione I wanted to ask you…"

* * *

"What's going on with you and Hermione?" Harry said, sipping his cup of tea. He was staring across the small room at Ron, who was sipping an identical cup of tea.

Ron sighed, "I don't know man. Sometimes I think she is my soul mate –" Harry cut across him

"Because she is. But continue." Ron grimaced at his friend but obliged

"Like I said, sometimes I think we are meant to be together until the sun stop shining, but then, sometimes there is something in her eyes that makes me doubt myself. I mean…"

* * *

"I kissed him, Gin, in the middle of a battle. How much more encouragement could he possibly need? That should be the only hint he'd ever need. But no. Not, Ron. Instead we went an entire summer without so much as mentioning it. And then," she let out an exasperated laugh, "then this girl. Heather well she…"

* * *

"She is nothing like Hermione, mate. She's everything a bloke could want in a girl. She's funny, and smart, and good at flying. And no matter what I do, I can't make myself want her as much I want Hermione sometimes. Heather would be the girl of my dreams, except for the fact that Hermione has permanently lodged herself in that position. If I could I would forget her, but I can't." Ron sighed and traced his finger lightly on the rim of the cup.

"Why on Earth would you want to forget Hermione?" Harry asked, surprised.

* * *

"Because, nothing is happening between us. I thought sometime would have happened by now. Right? I'm not crazy, Ginny. I know him better than anyone else in the world. I think that if he were actually in love with me I would know. It's been years, Gin. Years! Close to a bloody fucking decade and nothing. Do you have any idea what that's like. Loving someone since before you can remember and not knowing if they feel the same way?" At this, Hermione dissolved into tears.

"Hermione… I don't know what to tell you… The way I look at it…"

* * *

"This whole thing is just like anything. When you wanted to Keeper for Gryffindor, did you just sit on your arse in the Common Room and hope that Angelina would come in and beg you to be keeper? No. You went to the pitch everyday and practiced until you were good enough to make the team. Things just don't _happen_ for anyone."

"Easy for you to say, Harry. You were a first year and the whole school was clamoring for you play. Nothing is _that_ easy for me." Harry was growing impatient at Ron's self-pity.

"Ron, its like that with anything. When I wanted Ginny to marry me I didn't sit in our flat and wait for her to show up with a bouquet of flowers, I got a ring asked her myself. Nothing is ever easy when it's important." Ron just stared slack-jawed at his best mate, his soon to be brother-in-law.

"You what?" Ron said, jumping to his feet.

* * *

"Harry did what?" Hermione said in shock. Ginny had a smile spread from ear to ear and she was nodding vigorously.

"Oh Ginny I am so happy for you!" Hermione exclaimed. She stood and hugged her friend. "This is perfect. I've been waiting for some excuse to get all dressed up and dance the night away."

Ginny waggled her eyebrows suggestively and said in a low voice. "And by that you mean, get all dressed up for _Ron_, and dance the night away with _Ron_. And then, if things go well… well you know… with _Ron_."

* * *

Ron jumped back from his friend, aghast. "No Harry that is not what I meant. I am just happy for you. Sheesh, can't a bloke be excited for his best mate without it being some big ploy to get with

his other best friend."

"Oh come on, Ron. Hermione will be the maid of honor. You'll be the best man. You'll walk her down the aisle, grinning like an idiot the whole time because she'll be clinging to you. At the end of the night you'll make some offhand comment about wanting to get married some day and then give her a meaningful look. I mean come on Ron, it's practically a done deal."

"Actually she'd be suspicious. I told her a few months ago that I wouldn't think about getting married until…"

* * *

"…Until he met someone he'd want to marry." Hermione finished, sadly. Ginny was looking mad again, and it took all of Hermione strength to stop the fiery redhead from storming down the stairs and knocking her brother flat on his ass.

Ginny sighed, "Maybe you misunderstood him, Hermione." Ginny was trying to be helpful, and Hermione appreciated it.

"Yeah maybe. I hope so… it's just…."

* * *

"You make no sense, Ron. Why would you say something like that?"

"I said later that I'd found the girl of my dreams, but that she would never think of me in that way so I'd given up thinking about getting married." Ron said, in a pitiful attempt to defend himself from his best friend's ire.

"That's not any better, Ron!"

"All right so it's not better but don't make it seem like all I do is walk around being a git. That isn't how it is. I look at for her at Hogwarts. Can you believe that prat, Finnegan, asked me if he could ask Hermione out? I mean, honestly." Ron said in a very "Hermione" way. "But like I was saying. I had this whole week planned out. I would drive her down from Hogwarts a week early. We'd visit her parents, and then make our way to the Burrow. I got a _driver's license_ so I could be in complete control of the week. We were supposed to have the time of our lives. But no. She's gotta go asking me all these bloody questions about who I would save, her or Heather. I mean what the hell kind of question is that?"

* * *

"You asked him what?" Ginny said, her eyes wide.

"I asked him who he would save if he had to chose between saving me or heather. He said Heather. That just about sums up his feelings doesn't it?"

"Hermione, maybe he meant that he would want to spend his last moments. Maybe he knew that you wouldn't be able to live with him and saving you would only make you guilty."

"Yeah, maybe… but then…."

* * *

"Why in Merlin's name would you say Heather?" Harry asked, outraged. "You really _are_ thick. You were supposed to say that you would save Hermione, you idiot. You know, to prove that her safety is more important to you than Heather's."

"But Hermione said that we could apparate if we could do it wandlessly." Ron protested.

"So bloody what?"

"Well Hermione can apparate wandlessly… Heather isn't advanced enough to apparate side along. So I would send Heather down the trap door and then apparate with Hermione." Ron was breathing very hard now. Angry with Harry for assuming that Hermione's safety wasn't his top priority.

"Oh… well… did you… er, tell Hermione that's what you meant?" Harry asked, lamely.

"No! She is smart enough, she can figure that out on her." Harry just sighed.

"You know something, Ron," Harry adopted a softer tone. "One day you are going to have to take a chance and put your heart on the line for her. Like I said, it won't happen magically. And Hermione's smart, sure, but she can be expected to read your mind. You have to tell her things if you want anything to happen between the two of you."

* * *

"Hermione you can't go asking loaded questions like that, and hoping that he will get the message. Ron just isn't that smart sometimes." The girls laughed quietly. "If you want something, and I have a feeling that you do want him, you have to go and get it. Take a leap of faith and hope to Merlin that it works."

Hermione nodded solemnly. Easier said than done.

**Author's Note: Whew, done. I hoped you guys liked it. If you did, let me know. And if you didn't, let me know too. Once again, sorry about the break. I should have another **

**chapter up tomorrow or the day after. So fear not, . I am back and ready to finish this story up. **


	6. Chapter Six: She Loves Him Too

**Author's Note: Hey everyone. So I am back on a regular posting schedule. Here is the next chapter. After the big, dramatic speech Harry and Ginny gave Ron and Hermione, respectively, the latter pair have returned to Hogwarts. They're ready to take on the second half of the year. Lets just assume that a lot of time has passed since the last chapter and its now early February. All right, enjoy!**

**CHAPTER SIX - She Loves Him Too  
**

Hermione didn't know it was snowing until a large owl dropped a slightly soggy letter into her porridge one morning. She looked up in time to see the majestic bird shake violently to rid itself of a small pile of snow that was collecting on its head. She laughed and extracted the letter from her breakfast. She uttered a quick cleaning and drying charm before tenderly opening the letter. She knew almost immediately that the letter was from Ginny and she let a small smile tug at the corner of her lips.

Dear Hermione,

I am so glad to hear that everything is going well now that everyone is back at Hogwarts.

Now, regarding my git of a brother. What exactly do you mean when you say that he is acting strangely? I mean, its Ron, he is pretty strange to begin with. Have you seen him a lot lately? Maybe he is off planning another trip for you guys for Easter break… Although, admittedly I can't imagine that Ron thinks that far ahead, but you never know. Keep my updated.

Love,

Ginny

Hermione furrowed her brow. What _did_ she mean when she said Ron was acting strangely? In the weeks since the pair had returned from Christmas holiday Ron had been sweeter, more thoughtful even. But there was something forced about it. It was almost as if he was doing his very best not to offend her. And that didn't make any sense either. Their entire relationship was based on offending each other, yelling, storming off, and then forgetting it ever happened. If he wasn't going to pick fights with her anymore, what were they going to do?

Just as that thought crossed Hermione's mind, the subject of she and Ron's last major argument plopped down across the table from Hermione. Heather. She was smiling broadly, and helping herself to bacon.

"Morning, Hermy. Is it all right if I call you 'Hermy'? No. Its not "alright" Hermione thought angrily.

"No one's ever called me that before." Hermione congratulated herself on being civil.

"Well I guess there's a first time for everything, no? Who is the letter from?" Heather asked conversationally. Hermione sighed internally, realizing that this girl was not going to go away.

"Ginny." Hermione responded flatly, not wanting to unintentionally invite Heather to continue the conversation.

"Ohhh. Would that happen to be Ron's little sister, Ginny? He's told me so much about her."

"Yep, the one and only. Ginny used to go to school here. She'd be in our year now, but she didn't come back to school. She wanted to stay with Harry. They're engaged, Ginny and Harry."

"That must be amazing, being engaged to Harry Potter."

"Ginny loves it. They moved in together, recently too." Hermione answered, returning to her letter.

"Did you know him well? Harry Potter, I mean." Hermione practically scoffed at the girl's ignorance.

"Did I know Harry Potter? Harry happens to be one of my best friends. Along with Ginny… and Ron of course." Hermione added the last part slowly, as if she was unsure that 'friend' was the right term to apply to Ron. Sure, they were friends, but they were a lot more than that.

"I've been meaning to ask you something, Hermy." There was the blasted nickname again. "Has Ron mentioned anything to you, about me?" Heather wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, but Hermione played dumb.

"Just that you are a Muggleborn, and that you are a good flier."

"Oh." She seemed disappointed. "But nothing about, anymore more than that, right? Like any holidays."

"Well you'd have to ask him what he is doing for Easter Holidays. Though I expect he'll stay here at Hogwarts to study for N.E.W.T.s. Are you taking them?" Hermione asked, anxious to steer the conversation away from dangerous waters.

"No. But has he said anything about the next Hogsmeade weekend, or uhm…who he is taking." Hermione stared dumbfounded at the girl before her. Heather wanted to know if Ron was going to ask her to Hogsmeade next weekend, which also happened to be Valentine's Day.

"Well uh-" Heather cut across her.

"I don't mean to make this awkward. Its just, I know that he is your friend and I figured if he would tell anyone that he maybe, you know, fancied me, it would be you."

"Ron hasn't said anything to me. But Heather, you have to understand, that even if Ron does fancy you he isn't going to do anything about." Hermione shuttered at the idea of Ron liking Heather. "Ron isn't a 'Make The First Move' kind of guy. The one girl that Ron had the last time he was at Hogwarts made all the moves and he just went along with it. She started the relationship one day after a Quidditch match, and ended it after a misunderstanding. Ron was miserable the whole bloody time but he didn't do anything about it." Hermione unclenched her fists and took a long drink of pumpkin juice. Heather sat across from her looking shocked

"Are you talking about Lavender? Ron told me that she was a nice girl." Hermione rolled her eyes in exasperation at the girl

"Yes, I am talking about Lavender Brown. And don't get me wrong Lavender is nice. I shared a dorm with her the first time I came to Hogwarts, but it's just…" She trailed off now. She knew that she shouldn't still be angry with Ron over the Lavender Brown Fiasco, and that the whole event was behind her, but none of those thoughts appeased her. She was still angry at some very deep level, because when it came down to it he'd never said that he would choose Hermione over any other girl. Of course, she knew that he would, but she still wanted to hear him say it. She needed verbal confirmation before she was ready to take the plunge with him.

"Hermy, I know this must be so strange for you. I'm just this random girl who is coming to Hogwarts for the first time and I don't know nearly as much stuff as you do. But I know myself, and I know my heart and I am in love with Ron. I don't know what to do."

The girl's admission practically flattened Hermione. Of course, Heather was in love with Ron. It made perfect sense because she was prefect for him. They never fought or argued. Everything was smooth sailing for them. There were no dark wizards standing in the way of Ron and Heather's romance. Their romance was free of the self-doubt and low self-esteem that plagued Hermione and Ron's pseudo-romance. Hermione wanted to run out of the Great Hall and cry in a corner.

Hermione couldn't decide whether she was angrier that Ron wasn't trying to make their relationship move forward, or that Heather was preparing to make a move for Ron. Hermione thought bitterly that she and Ron were meant to be, not Heather and Ron. That was the way it was supposed to be. Everyone agreed that she and Ron were made for each other and the thought that anyone, especially a girl that no one knew anything about, could be standing in the way of Hermione's happy ending made the her blood boil.

"Heather…" Hermione practically whispered, she wanted to school her voice, and not betray any emotion. "You just have to hope that everything turns out for the best." With that last bit of advice Hermione stood from the table and sped out of the Great Hall towards Potions.

**Author's Note: And the plot thickens! Lol just kidding guys. So the main conflict is set up. What will Hermione do? All these questions and more, answered later. Hope you enjoyed his piece. I know it was a little short, and very rushed, but I still hope you liked it. Let me know if anyone wants to beta. I don't even know how that process would be started but all the best stories I've read have betas. **


	7. Chapter Seven: Say It and I'm Yours

**Author's Note: Do you want to know why today is a good day? Because I am publishing two freaking chapters (hopefully much better than the last chapter) in the same day! That's right, say 'What What' for summer vacation and having time to actually write. Our story resumes on Valentine's Day. Today's question: What happens when Ron and Hermione finally have the show down that we've all been waiting for? Find out when you read this chapter. Extra points if you guys can tell me what show I stole Hermione's most important line from. As always I don't own anything, and this story is for entertainment purposes only. Love, Mia. **

Chapter Seven – Say It and I'm Yours

On the morning of February 14th Hermione's eyes fluttered open before the sun had risen. She snuggled deeper under the covers of her four-poster bed and attempted to get a few more minutes of shut-eye before she had to wake up and greet the day. She sighed deeply and inhaled the scent of her fresh sheets. _Maybe_ _today_ she thought optimistically.

Ron literally hadn't breathed a word about the conversation he'd had with Harry over Christmas Holiday, but Hermione guessed it wasn't too different from the conversation that had transpired between Ginny and herself. It occurred to Hermione that if she'd ever wanted anything in her entire life, she definitely wanted him. When she went to sleep she imagined Ron and herself old, sitting in rocking chairs in a reading room, holding hands. She woke up and smiled because she knew he was only a few feet away, just on the other side of wall. When she went to sleep she sometimes strained to hear him moving around in his room, because knowing that he was there and wasn't going to leave was quite possibly the most comforting thing she'd ever known.

The water came on in the Head Boy bath and Hermione's lips quirked and she blushed, imaging Ron under a hot spray of water. It quickly became apparent that she wasn't going to get anymore sleep, so she sprang out of bed and began to prepare for the day. After her shower, and dressing for the day Hermione slowly descended the stairs into the small common room she shared with Ron. For some reason the anticipation of seeing him standing at the bottom of the stairs was killing her, and for that reason she chose to move slowly. She wanted to savor the next few moments. Hermione was sure that the reason Ron had been sneaking around and acting suspiciously the past few weeks was in preparation for some romantic gesture planned for today. She reached the bottom of the stairs and her heart fell. He wasn't there.

A quick examination of his room didn't turn anything up either. He'd left. She hurried to the great hall hoping to see him eating a bit of breakfast. He wasn't there either. She busied herself with spreading marmalade on her toast, but her thoughts were a thousand miles away. Where could he possibly be? Her mood worsened when she realized that Heather was also strangely absent. She was busy constructing a whole torrid, covert love affair that must have transpired between the pair while she wasn't paying attention. She was busy working herself into lather when Heather situated herself in the seat opposite Hermione, and without so much as a word began to eat her breakfast. Hermione was grateful that the girl wasn't in the mood to talk because Ron's absence was putting Hermione in a sour mood.

Hermione felt a tap on her right shoulder and she prepared to make the person who dared to bother on such a day the most unfortunate person in Hogwarts' history. Seamus was standing behind her, his hair slicked down, and his tie straight. He was holding a single red rose and shifting from foot to foot nervously. Her anger dissipated at the sight of him standing there, she felt exceedingly sorry for him.

"Uh- I-" Seamus took a deep breath. "Hermione, this is for you." He extended his arm putting the flower in her face. She took it gingerly and thanked him quietly. "No problem. I was just thinking that maybe you'd want to go to Hogsmeade with me tomorrow. I meant to ask you earlier, but you got tied up. Remember?" She did, vaguely. "I understand if you are busy or if you already agreed to go with someone else." Seamus scanned the table for Ron and was surprised to note his absence.

"Oh. I-uh, I do actually have plans for this weekend and I'm sorry that I can't go with you to Hogsmeade this weekend." Hermione said very diplomatically.

"Oh no, of course, its not a big deal." He gave her a small smile and then bid her a good day before walking back towards Dean Thomas.

"I am going to go look for Ron." Hermione told Heather who only nodded sadly and returned to her breakfast. Hermione shook her head sadly at the sight of the girl across the table from her.

Hermione was at wits end with Ron. It was one thing to break her heart. Hermione was more than used to Ron being oblivious and doing things that hurt her. He'd been doing it since the moment they met on the train almost a decade previous. But Heather was different; it was obvious from the way that her usually bubbly personality went to shreds. Heather wasn't strong the way Hermione was and it wasn't fair for Ron to continue messing with the poor girls heart. Especially if, and Hermione hope this was true, that his heart belonged to another person.

Several minutes later when she hadn't found him at any of the usual places Hermione resigned herself to speaking to him during Potions later that day. She made a beeline for the library and a mild shock washed over he when she found Ron sitting at her favorite table at the back, near the windows. He looked up and shot her a lopsided grin. For the second time that day her anger went away almost instantaneously, this time the anger was replaced by butterflies in her stomach, instead of pity.

She stopped, collected her breath and prepared to become angry again. He wasn't going to get away with this, just because he smiles.

"What's up 'Mione?" Ron asked cheerily, looking up from the biggest book she'd ever seen in front of him. She silently thanked Merlin he wasn't calling her Hermy, like a certain brooding brunette in the Great Hall.

"Where have you been all morning, Ron?" She asked, hands on her hips. Ron's eyes narrowed questioning her. He knew that stance better than anyone; that was attack mode, and he couldn't understand why it was being employed.

"Studying." He said, raising the book as evidence that he had, in fact, been studying all morning. Hermione couldn't decide if she wanted to believe him.

"You came straight here this morning?" She asked, unbelieving.

"Well no. I grabbed a few slices of toast from the Great Hall and _then_ I came straight here." He said with a small laugh.

"To study?" Hermione asked again.

"Yes. I have a Muggle Studies test today and I need to get a good grade. So I came here to study. Isn't that what you would want me to do?" Ron said with a smile.

"Why won't you tell me where you actually went this morning and then I'll just leave you to you're 'studying'". Hermione said, angry that he was lying to her face. "You are crazy if you expect me to believe that you, Ronald Billus Weasley of Ottery St. Catchpole, actually got up early, and skipped a gigantic breakfast to come sit in the library and study."

"Well when you say it that way…" Ron trailed off. "Listen, Hermione, I really don't have time to-" He stopped dead in his tracks. "Where did you get that rose?" His eyes narrowed at the flower in question, then his gaze flicked up to her face. She was stunned into silence.

"I, uh, er, Seamus."

"Seamus Finnegan? Irish bloke, short, heavy accent to go along with his heavy drinking Seamus Finnegan." Ron asked incredulously. Hermione nodded mutely, surprised at his outrage. "That git! Who the hell does he think he is?"

"What difference does it make to you?" Hermione asked dangerously. He was going to say it. It was Valentine's Day and she was going to make him man up and say it if it was the last thing she ever did. Hermione reasoned that she'd spent far too long waiting for him.

"I, Well it doesn't make a difference to me. I don't care what you bloody. First Krum, then McClaggen, now this!" Ron said, outraged. "Are you going to Hogsmeade with him this weekend?" Ron asked suddenly.

"No." Hermione answer, looking him directly in the eye. "I thought that I might have _other_ plans so I said no to his invitation."

"What other plans? Is there another guy? Jesus, Hermione three different guys at the same time. You are taking playing the field to a whole new level." Hermione just smirked.

"How did you get to three?" She asked. Ron stopped, realizing the slip up he'd just made. The only way to get to three was Seamus, Ron and a bloke to be named later.

"Did I say three? I think you must have misheard me." Ron said sitting down again. His ears burned and a blush was creeping up his neck.

"No. I didn't mishear anything you said three. How did you get to three?"

"I didn't bleeding get to three. Merlin's beard you can be grating. Just admit that you misheard me and we can move past this."

"What if I don't want to move past this? You said three. You and I both know that the only way there is three is if you are including yourself." Hermione was speaking quietly, on the verge of tears. He wasn't going to say it.

"Fine, then, two guys. Exclude me, do whatever you bloody well want. I don't care." Ron said, returning to his book.

"You are a liar. You care, you care way more than you are letting on and believe me you are letting on quite a bit. So just say it, Ron." Her eyes were pleading with him. He didn't speak, but he kept the intense eye contact they shared. She was feeling bold, "Three words. Eight letters. Say it and I'm yours." She swallowed hard and hoped to god that he said something, anything. The silence was deafening and her heart was threatening to choke her in its current position, lodged in her throat.

Ron opened his mouth a bit, and unshed tears began to fill his eyes. His throat constricted, his mouth went dry, and all words emptied out of his head. His heart was beating a million miles per second and it felt as if the air in the room was suddenly twenty degrees warmer. His toes tingled and no matter how hard he tried, nothing came to him. He knew what she wanted him to say, he could feel the words on the tip of his tongue but he couldn't say them.

After several silent minutes, Hermione looked away and began to furiously blink back tears. Her eyes returned to his, they looked pained. She began in barely above a whisper. "You are a coward, and I can't _believe_ that I've been waiting for you for the last seven years." She spun around and stormed out of the library.

**Author's Note: Whew, that was uncomfortable. I hope you liked this chapter better than the one before it. I worked a lot harder on this one. So as I mentioned before, extra points if you can tell me what show I took "Three words. Eight letters. Say it and I'm yours." from. As always read and review. **


	8. Chapter Eight: Becoming Us

**Authors Note: Wow, I took a mega long break from this story. I just gave up it up and randomly thought about it again today. I know how I wanted the story to finish. So without further ado (since there has been almost three years of ado to deal with) the final chapter of Becoming Us.**

**Chapter Eight: Becoming Us**

Ron felt tears building behind his eyes as he dragged his feet along the stone corridor back to the Head's Dorm Room. He'd done it. He's finally bolloxed it up for good. All chance he had Hermione, and it now appeared as though the chance was at one point quite substantial, was gone. He half wanted to tear his hair from his scalp from frustration. Why, why, why hadn't he just said it? He would not have even had to say "I love you." "I like you," would have been fine. It would be closer to the truth than he and Hermione had ever come in their eight years of friendship. The moment of truth was upon them; it was Ron's time to take Bill's and Harry's and Seamus's and Ginny's and pretty much all of his friends' and family's advice and just say it.

_Because you are coward, that's why you didn't take their advice. It's the same reason you didn't cancel your date with Heather in the first place. It's the same reason you didn't explain you thought process to Hermione on the drive to the Burrow. It's the same reason your relationship with the one girl you ever truly loved has been stalled for the past nine months. You are a coward. Somehow you've made it seem as though facing a girl who was clearly in love with you was scarier than facing Death Eaters. _

Ron was torn from the particularly bruising bought of self-loathing by Heather's appearance around the corner.

"Ron!" She seemed to brighten on seeing him. Ron felt the beginnings of misgivings in the pit of his stomach. It was wrong to make Heather think he liked her as more than a friend. It was wrong to go on dates with her and spend time with her when the whole time he was just a Freudian slip from calling her Hermione. Hermione had been right all those months ago. This was just like the Lavender Brown Fiasco. Ron did not love Heather; hell, he didn't even entertain a mild infatuation for her.

"Hullo, Heather. Glad to see someone is happy on Valentine's day." Ron made a pitiful attempt at a joke. It wasn't funny, but the approval starved Heather laughed just the same.

"Well to be perfectly honesty," she leaned in closer as if sharing a secret with her closest cohort, "I was actually rather put out, and that's why I came looking for you. I was thinking, really just in passing, that we might go to Hogsmeade this weekend. I know its Valentine's Day and you probably have some other commitment," again she stopped to gauge Ron's reaction. He seemed passive and that was invitation enough to press on, "we might go. Just you and I."

For a second Hermione's tear streaked face flashed in his mind. He heard the hint in her voice when explaining why she wouldn't be accompanying Seamus to Hogsmeade this weekend. She thought she might have _other_ plans; _other_ plans, meaning another guy; another guy meaning him. He clapped his hand loudly to his forehead and rubbed his face vigorously.

"Oh well… I just thought…" Ron was snapped back to reality by her voice. In his musings, Ron had forgotten the girl standing before him awaiting an answer. Doubt crept into her eyes and her shoulders seemed to sag. Her posture deflated and for a second, Ron's heart broke for the poor girl. She had no friends in the wizarding world. She'd bravely chosen to come to a world she knew nothing about alone and had found an ally in him. She needed him. Who would show her the ropes if he wasn't there to guide her? Knowing the way things seemed to work in his life, Seamus would probably decide she was worth "playing the field with" in a few weeks. He gave a snort of derision, only briefly entertaining the idea that Seamus having a crush of Heather would alleviate pressure to act on the Hermione front.

"Heather." Ron squared his shoulders and brought himself to his full heights. The next few hours would be the emotional equivalent of the chess game first year, standing up to Sirius his third year, returning to camp just a year earlier. This would be his chance to shine, if only for a crowd of one.

"Heather, you are amazing." She brightened at this statement, "You are everything I ever thought I wanted. You and I fit like two peas in a pod and you couldn't be a better friend to me." Heather stopped fingering the cuff of her sweater and was now looking upon him with huge doe eyes. "A few weeks ago I talked to Seamus and he made it so clear. You and I, we match. But I can't. I just can't."

There are so many things that are amazing about you, and maybe if things had been different we could have been so happy together. We could have had a storybook ending. But things aren't quite like that. I already know someone," He looked out into the distance, "I already love someone. Things might not being going great between her and me right now, but they will be soon enough. It would be beyond unfair to make you think that there is real hope for us, as far as a relationship goes. And I know, I should have said this earlier. I should have made it blatantly obvious that I wasn't looking for anything more than friendship, but I've been doing a lot of stupid things lately and only recently realized it. I hope you accept my apology. I know its not enough, but maybe if you let me try to make it up to you, we can still be friends."

Heather was in tears; huge unabashed, tears. Nothing about this moment was going as she'd planned. Not only was the answer no; the answer was no, permanently. She'd waited too long or showed up too late to the game, and now she stood a snowball's chance in hell of having the one guy she'd grown to care for in this strange new lang. She felt anger like she'd never felt before towards the red head standing before her.

"Why would that be okay? Why on Earth would that be enough? You expect me to okay with you saying, 'Hey, sorry I was charming and alluring and flirtatious for seven months, I'm really not into you. I'm into some bushy haired book worm that smells like rotted pages. I know that this is breaking your heart, but hopefully my apology will mend the emotional strife.' Really? You think I'm going to be okay with that?"

Heather was poking him in the chest, hard. She was crying and yelling and stomping and… it clicked in his head… insulting Hermione. She was insulting Hermione. Heather should count herself among the lucky, thought Ron darkly. If he was any other guy in the same position, this whole exchange might not have ended so cordially.

"Learn to be okay with it, because that's the nature of the situation. I don't love you. I never loved you and you should be smart enough to know that since you figured out who I actually am in love with. If you aren't okay with that; If you aren't okay with our relationship than I think our friendship is over." He glared, daring her to respond in the negative. He narrowed his eyes, and looked down at her heartbroken form through his light eyelashes. He might have felt sorry for her. Might have.

Ron turned on his heel. He would get nowhere standing in the hallway, watching his friend cry. He should feel cruel but Heather's words extinguished all pity he had for her. Now all he had to do was make things right with Hermione. He checked his watch. She would be in the Head's Dorm right now, but he had to hurry before dinner started and she disappeared in the crowds of Hogwart's students crowding into the Great Hall.

* * *

_I hate Ron Weasley. I hate Ron Weasley. I hate Ron Weasley. _

Hermione tried in vain to stamp out her emotions. She didn't want to cry over Ron anymore. She had been crying for the better part of eight years and she was through. She threw herself on her bed and attempted to breather, face down in the comforter. She rolled over and stared at the ceiling of her four poster bed. This day, had gone, horribly, horribly awry. She'd turned down her one and only date to Hogsmeade to have Ron throw her feelings for him out the window. She had borne her soul for him! Fresh tears sprung into her eyes.

She turned over again and screamed. She had suffered for his boy. She almost wasted her Yule Ball, put her heart on the line for him in their sixth year, she'd suffered his desertion while on the hunt, she'd kissed him first! The thought sprung into her mind with surprising viciousness. She'd kissed him first! In their relationship it was always her heart on the line, never his. The one time, the one time she asked for clear cut reciprocation he stood stuttering with tears his eyes. We he doesn't deserve to cry, she reasoned. He doesn't know what it likes, so he doesn't deserve to cry. He's dated and gotten to know what it's like, I haven't. I've always had to be the ugly one, the book worm, the one boys never recognize. After the summer between fourth and fifth year, the summer he'd done most of his growing in, he couldn't go anywhere without turning heads. He rivaled Bill, the clear play-boy of the Weasley sons, in looks. He could have whomever he so chose. And he chose Heather, didn't he? He chose Heather, like he chose Lavender. He is never going to choose you.

Hermione wiped angry tears from her face. When she finally controlled her breathing, she rose and walked to the bathroom. Splashing cool water on her face helped, but only slightly. She still felt his betrayal like a cold hand on her heart. Knocking came from the door to Head's Lounge.

Couldn't they see she was emotionally distressed? Why, in Merlin's name did they need to bang so loudly when her head hurt so much? With as much grace as she could muster, Hermione descended the stairs in the Head's Lounge and flung open the door. And there he stood, six foot four inches of ginger, looking pitiful in the doorway.

"What?" she tried to remain passive. She fought the color rising in her cheeks. Of course Ron chose to show up now. She looked a mess from crying, over him, and now she had to endure the embarrassment of him trying to apologize and stumbling over his own words.

"You look a mess…" He said appraisingly. His eyes raked over a frame. When they finally reached her eyes again, they widened in shock. The sadness present in her eyes was enough to make him want to drop to his knees and beg for forgiveness.

"Yes well… you'd look a mess too if you'd had you heart shattered into itty-bitty bite sized pieces too…." She was beyond feeling shame for her emotions for him. She loved him, he knew it. She'd begged him to tell her, just a few hours ago. Why not use those emotions as weapon against him.

"I'm starting to think I have a talent for making girls cry." He said, with a lopsided grin. "Hell you are the second girl I've made cry in the last half hour. I got play for England if I wanted." He laughed; she didn't.

"Well I'm glad that you can take pride in your ability to push people to the brink of emotional distress, Ronald, but unless you have some business here I'd kindly ask you to leave." She bit out the comment with as much malice as her tiny body could muster. Ron, the great prat, looked to be on the verge of laughing.

"'Mione, love, I live here too." He chuckled.

"Do not call me that. You have no right to call me that, not after the way you treated me. You will not call me 'Mione, or love, or sweetie, or babe, or whatever ridiculous pet name you come up with because I'm not yours." She took deep, full breaths, in an attempt to recover from the oxygen she'd missed out on during her speech. She was crying, again in full. The words stung him as they stung her. She felt his hands coming to rest on her hips. His huge warm hands applied a mild pressure and pushed her back into the room.

He pulled her close to his body, and wrapped his long arms around her entire frame.

"Yet." He took a deep breath.

"I love you." He said it with a sigh. The words tumbled from his mouth was as little pomp as he could possibly muster. He said "I love you" as he might say "the sky is blue." He loves her, and Hogwarts is a school that trains magically endowed children. He made the words sound predictable and expected, which they were to a certain extent, but still, she'd always imagined more.

"You love me?" She echoed back, in a dubious way. She should be ecstatic, but somehow his delivery wasn't living up to her expectations.

"Yep. I love you. You love me. We are going to be together forever. We'll get married in the spring, and live in a cottage in the country… We're going to have a great life together, you and I." His voice held a quality of nostalgia wholly unfitting for the occasion.

"That's it? You love me. Just… you love me. Years of teetering on the edge of something, and all you have to say, "Mione, love, I love you'?" She was beside herself.

"I don't have anything else to say. Everything else I could possibly say would just detract from the simple fact that I love you. I have always loved you. I loved you before I knew what those words meant, and I will love you long after you say them back. I could tell you that I'm sorry, but I'm standing here telling you I love you; the apology is implicit. I could tell you that Heather never meant anything to me, but I'm standing here telling you I love you; again, what I meant is implied. I could tell you that you are the only person I ever truly wanted in my entire life, and the only person I will ever want, but I'm standing here Hermione. I'm standing here with nothing but my love and a promise to stay and if that isn't what you are looking for then, I don't know what else to do."

His eyes sparkled with a thin film of tears. He looked so open that Hermione was stunned into silence. He was giving his heart to her as fully as he knew how. Hermione continued to weep into his shirt, clutching the lapel for support.

"Ron Weasley… you are more than the words I have to describe you… I love you too…." Their lips finally met, for the first time since the previous May. The imagine of a desert, suddenly bombarded by rains sprung into her mind. The years of waiting, and misunderstanding were coming to a close. Their awkward, and confusing courtship was over, and they, the two best friends of Harry Potter were finally an "us".

**Authors Note: Thank you so much for all you who read this story when it first began. Thank you to everyone reviewed. Thank you to everyone who wanted this story to work and inspired me to finish. Thank you, a million times, thank you. As a nice way to say goodbye, and an even nicer way to encourage me to start something new, please review!**


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